


be my mirror, my sword and shield

by so_larrily



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, BAMF Peter Parker, Bending (Avatar), Do NOT Tag as Starker, Don't copy to another site, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Precious Peter Parker, Rated T for language, Sandwich is a Deer Dog, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, possible canon divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:28:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25491646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/so_larrily/pseuds/so_larrily
Summary: “Peter Parker,” the man says. “My name is Nick Fury. I represent an Earth Kingdom council responsible for identifying the next Avatar.”Peter’s breath catches. “And, you thinkIam the next Avatar?”Fury tilts his head. “Mr. Parker, weknowyou are the next Avatar.”There’s a lump in Peter’s throat, his breath shaky.How did they find out?OR: Peter is the Avatar, Tony is his earthbending mentor, and Peter's Avatar journey is just beginning.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Avengers Team, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 28
Kudos: 132





	1. discovery

**Author's Note:**

> IT'S FINALLY HERE! After weeks of writing, editing, and plotting, the first chapter of my new Irondad & Spiderson Avatar: The Last Airbender AU is here! I am so excited to share this with y'all. Just a warning ahead of time, updates might be slow, so I definitely recommend subscribing so you know when I update. I want this fic to be absolutely perfect, and I won't post what isn't perfect. Plus, I'm working and I have another fic I'm working on, oops. Also, THIS IS NOT STARKER. Please do not tag it as such.
> 
> [Here](https://images.app.goo.gl/E7zykjuUTT8XTgJd9) is what Peter's usual outfit looks like. I know I like to know these kinds of things going into fics.
> 
> Please note: I have not watched TLOK in its entirety, but I know the basics of what happened. It is possible I might diverge from canon. Also, I have a headcanon that the Avatar relics were destroyed during the Air Nomad Genocide. Now, the Avatar selects their own relic, which will be used to identify the next Avatar. So, Korra chose her own relic, which was given to the Earth Kingdom for identifying the next Avatar. I came up with this because we truly don't know how the Earth Kingdom identifies the Avatar. This headcanon is what is used here.
> 
> I have to add, it was definitely weird comparing Aang's time where the fastest way to travel was via sky bison to suddenly there's planes and monorails! I'm picturing this fic as being similar to the 1950s in terms of technology. Radio is still an important form of communication, cars and planes and trains exist, and cameras and televisions exist too. Radio vs. television communication is about 25/75, with television growing in popularity thanks. If we are going with my 1950s reference, not every household has a television, but most do.
> 
> Also, if anyone wants to create fan art for this story, feel free! Just let me know so I can check it out and cry tears of joy.
> 
> Title is from "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay.

Peter Parker’s life turned upside down on a Monday.

He’d walked the few blocks from his school in the Center Sector of Zaofu to the general store owned by his aunt, only to find the doors locked and the lights off.

 _Strange_ , Peter thinks. The store was normally open until 5 on weekdays, and a quick glance at his watch tells Peter the store closed half an hour early. A chill runs down his spine as he rounds the corner to the alley, running up the metal staircase to the apartment above the shop where he and his aunt live. He unlocks the door and barges inside, frantic. His deer dog, Sandwich, comes bounding up to him, but Peter ignores him, his mind elsewhere.

“May?” he shouts. “May, are you—”

“In here, Peter,” she responds, her calm voice coming from the kitchen. 

Peter throws his bag on the sofa and strides into the kitchen. “What’s going on, May? Is everything—”

His words die in his throat when he notices there’s a stranger sitting at the dining table with May, a mug of tea in his hand. Peter’s eyes immediately wander to the eyepatch over the man’s left eye.

“Have a seat,” May says with a smile, pouring him some tea as well. 

Peter doesn’t take his eyes off of the man as he follows his aunt’s request. He doesn’t know what this man’s intentions are, but he _does_ know if he makes any suspicious moves, Peter won’t hesitate to attack. He keeps an open hand on their metal table, feeling the earth within and preparing himself to bend it in a moment’s notice.

“Peter Parker,” the man says. “My name is Nick Fury. I represent an Earth Kingdom council responsible for identifying the next Avatar.”

Peter’s breath catches. “And, you think _I_ am the next Avatar?”

Fury tilts his head. “Mr. Parker, we _know_ you are the next Avatar.”

There’s a lump in Peter’s throat, his breathing shaky. _How did they find out_?

“Tell me, Mr. Parker, have you ever noticed that you advance more quickly than other earthbending students your age? Have you ever felt a connection to another element? Have you ever _bent_ another element without intending to?” Fury asks.

There’s… no way they could know about that. Ben had just died in front of Peter’s eyes. He was so _angry…_

“We have our sources, Peter. We’ve known for years. Keeping with tradition, we waited until you turned sixteen before telling you,” Fury says, shooting him a knowing look. “Happy belated birthday, by the way.”

Peter can feel May’s eyes on him immediately. Someone is stomping on his chest, ripping the air from his lungs. The room feels hotter. He never told _anyone_ what happened that night. “How… how could you _possibly_ know?” he asks. 

Fury sits back in his chair, twiddling his thumbs. “The official reason dates back to when you were one year old. We traveled the Earth Kingdom testing children who were born on the day that Avatar Korra died. Do you recognize this?” Fury reaches into his jacket and pulls out a toy, laying it on the table. It’s a small, plastic figurine of a polar bear dog, once white but now yellow, faded with age.

Peter feels a twinge of nostalgia rise inside him. “Yeah,” he says. “I used to carry it with me everywhere, but I thought it was lost in the fire that…” _Killed my parents_ , he finishes in his head. 

“You picked that toy because it was familiar to you,” Fury explains. “This is Avatar Korra's carefully selected relic.”

“That has to be a coincidence,” Peter says, shaking his head. “There had to have been hundreds of other kids born on that day. There’s no way—”

“Mr. Parker, you were the only one out of the children we tested who picked this toy. The other toys were just ordinary ones bought from the store,” Fury explains. “You _are_ the Avatar.”

Peter’s gaze finds the table. His tea has gone cold.

“Mrs. Parker, Peter, I will give you a few days to process this information,” Fury says. He then turns to Peter. “Peter, as the Avatar, it is your destiny to travel the world and master all four elements.”

“Couldn’t you bring masters here to train me?” Peter asks. “Isn’t that what happened with Avatar Korra?”

Fury nods. “Yes, but it was a different world back then. This is part of the Avatar journey, Peter. Many disagreed with the decision to train Korra in her home land. Speaking of Korra…” Fury reaches under the table and lifts up a trunk, setting it on the table. It’s a gorgeous Water Tribe blue, with crescent moons and Water Tribe symbols engraved into the metal. “It is likely that you no longer have spiritual access to your past lives due to events that happened to Korra. Just in case, she wrote about her Avatar journey in these journals. You’ll need to rely on these for her advice. I recommend you get one yourself and start chronicling your journey.

“As for now, Peter, I would start making plans, figuring out how you will travel. We’re here to help if you need it,” Fury says. “And, I would hesitate to tell many others about your new identity. There’s always someone out there who means to destroy the Avatar. I would hate to see that happen before your journey even begins. I’ll be back in three days. Have a plan by then.”

Fury stands, thanks May for the tea, and sees himself out. 

They sit in silence for a few minutes, Peter clutching his mug of cold tea so hard he’s surprised the ceramic hasn’t shattered. He doesn’t notice Sandwich has entered the room until the dog rests his head in Peter’s lap, his antlers scratching Peter’s arms.

Peter feels like his entire world has been swept out from underneath him. Has he been breathing properly since he sat down? He woke up this morning as a regular 16-year-old. He went to school, learned history and science and geography. He hung out with his best friends at lunch and was called names by the school bully in the hall. Heck, he even bombed an essay and visited his teacher after school to figure out what he could do to make it up.

Now, his biggest secret has been revealed.

“We’ll figure this out,” May finally says, reaching across the table and placing her hand on Peter’s forearm.

“I… I have to go.” Peter abruptly stands and runs out the front door, May calling out for him.

The afternoon sun is slowly setting over the mountains surrounding Zaofu, its rays reflecting off the metal the city is composed of. He isn’t sure where his feet are taking him, but he suddenly finds himself at the monorail station, buying a ticket heading for the Northwest Sector of the city. He finds an empty compartment and takes a seat. The doors close just minutes later, and the monorail exits the station.

“You seem to be hiding something, Mr. Parker.”

Peter jumps at the unexpected voice, turning to see Nick Fury step out from a shadowed corner of the compartment. “Is there something you want to share?” Fury asks.

“So you’re following me now?” Peter questions, narrowing his eyes.

“Answer my question first, Mr. Parker,” Fury counters.

Peter shoots him what he hopes is a nasty glare before turning his gaze to his lap, picking at his fingernails. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“Fine.” Peter sees a shadow pass in front of him and glances up, seeing Fury take a seat in front of him. “I guess I’ll do the talking for you. Do you recall what happened two years ago in an alleyway off of 3rd Street in the Center Sector of Zaofu at around midnight?”

Peter’s blood runs cold. His head shoots up. _No._

“We have eyes everywhere, Mr. Parker. Following an altercation, there was a casualty—”

“Stop.”

“—and suddenly your eyes glowed. You nearly killed the men who killed your uncle.”

“ _Shut up_!” 

“You used not only earth and metalbending, but firebending, as well,” Fury continues. “You were in the Avatar State. You’re lucky you didn’t kill those men, or that no one noticed what was going on. You’ve known you were the Avatar since that moment. For two years, you’ve known. What are you afraid of?”

Breathing heavily, Peter stands, sneering. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know that you have a small flame in your hand right now,” Fury says. “I know you want to attack me for what I’ve said. Go ahead. See what happens.”

“What?” Peter lifts his hand and, sure enough, there’s a small ball of fire hovering above his palm. He can feel the heat, a little ball of warmth and life. He shakes his hand frantically, as if the flame was something rotten, and closes his fist, putting it behind his back. 

“I’m sorry.” He sits back down, putting his head in his hands. “What happened that night… I was so scared. I didn’t want to do it ever again. I thought, maybe if I just tried to forget, it would go away. But…” His voice trails off.

Fury sighs. “We can’t run from our destinies, Mr. Parker. No matter how hard we try, fate always has a way of putting us on the right path. You have to decide what kind of Avatar you are going to be. Will you continue trying to hide, or will you step up and take your place?”

Peter raises his head. Fury was right, of course. He’d tried to hide, but he was discovered anyway.

At that moment, the monorail comes to a stop. Fury rises to his feet as the doors open. But before stepping out, he looks over his shoulder. “I’ll see you in three days, Mr. Parker.” And then, he’s gone.

Peter exits the monorail, glancing around the busy station but seeing no sign of Fury. Shaking his head, Peter sets off toward the northern corner of the sector where his metalbending master resides.

It’s time to come clean.

* * *

Peter was six years old when he met the famous Tony Stark.

His parents, Richard and Mary, were employed at Stark Industries, one of the Earth Kingdom’s most profound metal and technological manufacturers. They worked in the scientific department, working on new metal compounds and energy sources. Though his father was not a bender, they both had extremely successful careers within the department; they were even on a first name basis with the great Tony Stark. 

His mother had just started Peter’s earthbending training when the accident happened. Peter was at school. The Zaofu police never came up with an actual cause. But somehow, their home in the Southern Sector of Zaofu caught fire, and his parents didn’t make it out.

Tony attended the funeral. At the post-funeral reception, Peter found himself sitting on the stairs in the unfamiliar funeral home, quietly crying. His face was pressed against his legs, trying to hide the tears, when he heard someone sit a few steps down.

“Hey, kid,” the person said. Peter had lifted his head up slightly to see a man in a freshly pressed suit, his face stern but his brown eyes warm and kind. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Peter had sniffled.

“I’m, uh, Tony, by the way,” the man had said, offering a small smile.

“I know who you are,” Peter said. “Dad talks about you a lot. Or, talked, I guess,” Peter said, his voice dropping.

The man—Tony—cleared his throat. “I lost my parents too, kid,” he said. “I know what you’re going through.”

Peter didn’t say anything. He rested his chin against his drawn-up knees, sniffling.

“Here, I wanted to give you this.” Tony reached into his jacket and pulled out a small black rock. “Your mom told me you’re an earthbender, right?” Peter nodded. “Well, I happen to have in my hand a piece of a rock that came from space. Your mom thought the rock was so cool, she was going to give you a piece if there was any left. I found this on her desk. I think she’d want you to have it.” 

Tony held out the space rock, giving Peter another smile. Peter was completely _enamored._ It was a rock from _space_! He took it eagerly, pressing it between his hands and feeling the rock mold so easily between his palms. He looked up at Tony with an excited smile, and Tony laughed.

“I can’t wait to see what you do with that thing, kid,” Tony had said. “See you around.” And with that, Tony stood back up and returned to the other room.

For the rest of the reception, Tony Stark had a shadow in the form of Peter. Peter kept following him around as he spoke to Richard and Mary’s coworkers, their friends, and finally, May and Ben. Looking back, Peter knows that Tony absolutely didn’t mind the fact that he had a young admirer.

Things took an odd turn when Tony told Ben and May to let him know if he could do anything to help, especially because they were now taking Peter in as their own. Being nonbenders, Ben had joked that they needed to find Peter an earthbending master, and if Tony wanted the job, he could have it.

No one expected Tony to say yes on the spot.

Both May and Ben tried to backtrack, saying it was just a joke, but Tony was all in. He meant it when he said he wanted to help in any way he could, and if this was that way, he was ready. He’d studied the art of earthbending and metalbending alongside the Beifong family, the best earth and metalbenders in the world (perks of being one of the richest families in Zaofu). He wanted to help this young earthbender become one of the best.

It was definitely hard at first. Tony had never taught anyone before. Peter was continuously reminded of training sessions with his late mother every time he used earthbending, and they’d have to take a break while Peter, well, cried. But over time, they began to grow used to each other, to trust each other. By the time Peter was twelve, he’d mastered the art of earthbending. As Peter grew older and his curiosity grew, Tony began letting Peter join him in his personal lab at Stark Industries, where Tony taught him more about metalbending than Peter ever expected. Eventually, he’d mastered that, too.

They’d hit some rough patches over the years; training with someone like Tony was always an adventure. Tony’s many breakups with his former assistant turned CEO of Stark Industries, Pepper Potts, often made Tony far more irritable and aggressive in their sparring sessions. Peter was definitely a bit dramatic in his early teenage years, and Ben’s death was a major roadblock. And of course, there was the time where Tony’s business partner tried to kill him; Tony was hospitalized for weeks while some of the world’s best healers tended to his wounds. But Peter has never been more grateful to have Tony as his earthbending master, his mentor, his teacher, his friend. For things that he didn’t want to talk to Ben about, Peter would seek Tony out for advice and would cry on his shoulder. He could tell Tony _anything._

But he didn’t tell him everything that happened on the night that Ben died.

Now, Peter finds himself standing outside the doors to his teacher’s home, fear and guilt surging through him. How would Tony react to the news that he’d been teaching the Avatar all these years? He brushes his fingers along the space rock bracelet he always wears, and though that usually calms him down, it doesn’t now.

Peter hasn’t been so nervous about telling Tony something in years. But this is bigger than a cute girl in class or an argument with May. This is about the huge role he has to play in the fate of the world.

 _Shit_. He isn’t ready for this.

Slowly, Peter raises his hand and knocks on the door. It’s only seconds later when the door flies open, and Peter looks up at the face of Happy Hogan, Tony’s personal butler/chauffeur.

“Hi, Peter,” Happy greets, beckoning him inside. “It’s not a training day, is it?”

Peter shakes his head. “No, but I need to see Tony right away.”

“Sure, I’ll go get him. I think he and Pepper are finishing up dinner.” Peter chuckles quietly as Happy walks away. Seems that Tony worked things out with Pepper… again. Peter wonders if they’ll _ever_ get married.

Peter wanders around the foyer while he waits for Happy to return. He knows this place like the back of his hand. Tony could have a palace if he wished, but his home is a very modest two-story, mainly dark gray brick with metal accent pieces on the outside. The gray theme carries to the inside, but it’s easy to tell it has Pepper’s decorative touch. Peter can see the door to the bedroom he sometimes stays in on the second floor; every once in a while, lab work and training sessions will run well into the night. Tony never felt comfortable sending Peter home that late, even though he knew Peter was more than capable of defending himself, so he’d offer up that room. 

It’s kind of like a second home.

“Hey Pete, didn’t expect to see you today.” Peter turns to see Tony stride in with a grin. Tony has never been one to follow the traditional fashion of Zaofu, and the citizens knew it. While most (Peter included) dressed in traditional green and brown clothing with metal plating (to symbolize the Metal Clan, of course), Tony wore… whatever he wanted. Mostly things he’d collected from his various trips around the world (and he’d brought Peter back some things, as well). Today’s choice was Fire Nation red and orange and maroon.

Ironic, considering what had just happened on the train.

Seeing his earthbending master brings Peter back to reality. The daunting task ahead of him—confessing a long hidden secret to his mentor—weighs down heavily on Peter’s shoulders all at once, and without warning, he rushes into Tony’s unsuspecting arms, hiding his face in his shoulder.

“Whoa, whoa, kid,” Tony says, slowly wrapping his arms around Peter in a loose hug. “What’s wrong?”

Peter can only shake his head. Any rehearsed conversations he’d envisioned on the way over fly out the window.

“Um, okay,” Tony says. “Let’s get you a drink, then we’ll talk.”

Not long after, Peter and Tony sit in Tony’s library, a cup of jasmine tea in Peter’s hands. Tony sometimes let Peter borrow from his vast collection of books; he’d read manuscripts and memoirs from all around the world. They’re sitting in the two large, comfy armchairs in front of a large fireplace, the hearth warming the room.

“Okay, kid,” Tony says, taking a sip from his own cup of tea. “When my apprentice shows up at my door looking rough and upset, it’s a bit of cause for concern. What’s going on?”

Peter sighs, feeling tears spring to his eyes. “I… have been keeping something from you. I’ve known about it for a few years. Something big. Something that’s… going to change my life. I’m so scared.”

Tony hums. “Well, I’m sure it’s nothing we can’t handle,” he reassures.

With a small smile, Peter decides he just has to say it. No sugarcoating it or delaying the inevitable. “I’m the Avatar.”

Tony blinks. “Come again?”

Peter tells him everything Nick Fury told him earlier. He tries not to leave out a single detail. And then, when he’s finished relaying the details of today, he inhales deeply, preparing to let his biggest secret out.

“But, the thing is, I’ve known for awhile now. When… when Ben died, I entered the Avatar State. I didn’t really know what it was at the time. But when I figured out…” Peter takes a sip of tea, wiping at his eyes with a shaky hand. “The man who talked to me today, he followed me to the monorail, and he started talking about that night. He said his organization has eyes everywhere. And I got so mad, I didn’t even know I had conjured fire until he said something. I was so scared of what happened that night, I just didn’t want to accept it. I kept it a secret from everyone, even you and May. Now, it doesn’t look like I have a choice.

“Mr. Stark, I am _so_ sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” Peter says, stifling a sob. He feels so horrible.

Tony doesn’t say anything. He turns and stares at the fire, and Peter knows he has a million thoughts running through his head. Having known Tony for so long, he knows he is processing everything Peter just said, thinking of question after question, and probably wondering if he should’ve seen it sooner.

Then, Tony returns his gaze to Peter and says, “Why didn’t you tell me, kid?”

Peter swallows the lump in his throat. “I think I thought, maybe if I didn’t acknowledge it, it would just go away. I could live a normal life if I kept it a secret, without the weight of the world on my shoulders.” Peter shakes his head, tears flowing freely now. “I don’t want this, Mr. Stark. I want to go to school and hang out with my friends and play power disc with the other metalbenders in my grade and come metalbend with you in the lab and help May with the shop and just be _normal_. I didn’t want to hide it from you. I just, I don’t want to do this. I don’t want the fate of the world in my hands. I don’t want any of this.”

Tony takes another sip of tea. “Peter, I’m not mad that you didn’t tell me. I’ll admit, I am a little sad that you didn’t, but I understand. I’m just sorry you felt the need to hold in a secret like that for so long. You shouldn’t have had to do that.” Tony sighs, pursing his lips. “So, what’s your plan?”

Of course, Tony gets right down to business. Peter half-expected Tony to lash out at him, to kick him out for keeping such a massive secret from him. He should’ve known better than to doubt Tony.

“No plans yet,” Peter says with a shrug.

“Ah, makes sense. Well, we’ll figure it out. Thanks for telling me, Peter,” Tony says, grinning. “So, you hungry?”

* * *

That night, long after Peter has eaten and left, Tony climbs into bed next to Pepper, running a hand down his face.

He still can’t believe it. His apprentice. His _kid_ , practically. The _Avatar._ He’d already pinched himself, unsurprised when he realized he wasn’t dreaming. He’d always thought that Peter was a special kid; he was always quite advanced for his age, but he just figured Peter was a quick learner. Never in a million years would he have guessed it was because he had the wisdom of a thousand past lives running through him.

Or… maybe not, since the connection was broken with Korra.

Pepper closes her book, setting it on the bedside table. “What did Peter want?” she asks, turning to Tony.

Peter had told him that Nick Fury said to keep his identity on the downlow but that he trusted Tony to tell only those who _he_ trusted. (He also wanted to meet this Nick Fury and give him a piece of his mind for intimidating his kid.)

“Um, well, apparently he’s the Avatar,” Tony blurts out.

“ _What_?” Pepper shouts, her eyes growing wide. “How does he know? What happened?”

Tony quickly relays everything Peter told him. When he’s finished, he notices that Pepper looks almost… sad.

“What’s wrong?” Tony asks.

Pepper looks down at her hands, running her fingers along a silver band on her left ring finger. It was a promise ring that Tony had given her years ago, when they began dating; he was the young CEO of Stark Industries, and she was his assistant. It was long before he’d met Peter. Though their relationship had hit several rocky points through the years, she still wore it.

“When do you leave?” she asks.

Tony’s brow furrows. “Come again?”

“Come on, Tony, we both know what’s going to happen. You have to go with him when he leaves to master the elements,” she says.

“No one says I have to,” Tony says with a shrug. “I haven’t even spoken to May about it.”

“So you’ve already thought about taking him,” Pepper retorts, but there’s no acid in her voice.

Tony’s shoulders sag. “Yeah. As soon as he said it, the thought crossed my mind,” he admits. “But it’s up to you. I can find someone else to help. Rhodey or Happy maybe. There are other options. It doesn’t have to be me.”

Pepper smiles sadly, cupping Tony’s cheek in her hand. He leans into the touch, gently gripping her wrist and turning his head to kiss her smooth palm.

“Yes it does.”

* * *

“I can’t believe my best friend is the Avatar!”

MJ punches Ned’s arm. “Shut up! Announce it to the world, why don’t you.”

Ned sucks in a breath. “Sorry.”

Peter smiles. It’s after school the next day, and he and his friends are hanging out at their favorite park. Usually, he’d be at Tony’s right now, running some drills or experimenting in the lab, but Peter asked for the day off. He wanted to tell his friends the news; Tony, of course, said yes. Now he, MJ, and Ned sit under their favorite oak tree, snacks in hand, where Peter has just finished telling them everything he knew.

Well, _almost_ everything. He was still a bit anxious about telling them his Avatar State incident on the night of Ben’s death.

“What happens now?” MJ asks, popping a grape in her mouth. “You just drop out of school and leave Zaofu?”

Peter purses his lips. “I guess so. It’s probably better that I master the elements as soon as I can. Who knows when another global threat will appear.”

“So you’re gonna be a high school drop out?” Ned questions, sounding worried.

“I don’t want to be!” Peter exclaims. “But I don’t know what happens from here. I’m scared, you guys. My whole life just changed literally overnight.” Peter huffs, hiding his face with his hands.

A hand touches his shoulder, and Peter lifts his head. MJ shrugs. “Look, I know you don’t know what’s about to happen. But I can tell you this: we’ll be here for you, Peter. You know we will. You’re our best friend. This doesn’t change anything. Except you’re a badass now.”

“But don’t take that the wrong way. You were a badass before, too. Not many can say Tony Stark was their earthbending master,” Ned says.

Peter chuckles. “Thanks, guys,” he says. “For everything.”

They stay there until the sun starts to set, the sky turning orange and pink. Before they part ways, Peter reminds his friends not to tell anyone, not even their parents. He gives Ned a big hug, realizing that soon he won’t get to do this with them after school anymore, and that he’s going to miss it more than he can express. Then, he and MJ set off toward their homes.

MJ and Peter live just a couple blocks away from each other. They didn’t become friends until middle school, but once they found out they lived so close to each other, they hung out all the time (unless Peter had training with Tony). Her father is an earthbender, and her mother a waterbender, and she inherited her mother’s bending. Sometimes, they had little sparring sessions in the park—earth versus water—that would always end in laughter.

Peter hates the timing of all of this because at his 16th birthday dinner a few weeks ago, he realized he had a crush on MJ. He hoped to ask her to the school dance in a few months. Now, he’ll be lucky if he sees her again in the next few years. He has no idea how long it will take to master the elements. 

He wishes she could come with him. They could learn so much about waterbending together from the source, either the North or South Pole. But she probably would say no even if he could ask; she’s all about education, and he doesn’t think she’d want to leave school.

Frankly, he doesn’t want to leave school either, but he doesn’t really have a choice now.

They walk to their neighborhood in silence. Peter isn’t exactly sure what to say to her, an odd feeling considering they’ve told each other so much over the years.

“You’re gonna be okay.”

Peter turns his head. “What?”

“You’re gonna be okay,” MJ repeats, offering a tight-lipped smile. “I know you are. I can’t imagine what’s running through your head right now. But you’re gonna be okay. I can feel it.” 

“Thanks, MJ,” Peter says. 

“And you better come say bye before you leave.”

Chuckling, Peter says, “Well, I kind of have to. I need to tell you guys my cover story once I come up with it.”

Now MJ laughs, a light sound that’s like music to Peter’s ears. They continue walking home, Peter memorizing the sound of her voice, the curve of her cheeks, the way her hair curls into little ringlets. He wonders if he should tell her how he feels before he leaves or if that’s cruel considering he may not come home for a long time.

When they reach the street corner where they always part ways, he looks to MJ.

“I guess I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” Peter says, a little awkwardly.

Peter begins to turn toward his street when MJ grabs his hand, pulling him into an unexpected hug. MJ has never been very physically affectionate, even sometimes refusing to give high fives or fist bumps and squirming out of forced hugs from others in their class, so Peter is definitely caught off guard. But, he likes it. He can smell her shampoo, a spicy cinnamon. He lifts his arms around her, returning her embrace.

He’s not sure how long they stay like that, but she pulls away first. The second he brings his arms back to his sides, he finds himself wanting to embrace her again, to never let her go.

“See you then,” she says.

* * *

“We’re going to try something different today.”

Peter nods, awaiting Tony’s instruction. Tony always liked to throw random curveballs into their sparring sessions. “No amount of training can prepare you for everything, but we can sure as hell try to prepare you anyway,” he’d once said. 

“If you’re comfortable with it,” Tony says now, “I want to see you firebend.”

And immediately, Peter’s muscles tense. He’d expected a new kind of metal to bend or a new sparring partner or something. Not _this._

“I can’t do that, Mr. Stark,” Peter says.

“You can’t do it, or you don’t want to?” Tony questions.

“Both? I don’t know,” Peter says. 

Tony eyes him before sitting down, motioning for Peter to do the same. “Peter, I know you’re afraid of this. And before you argue,” he starts, putting a finger up to stop Peter from talking, “keep in mind that I’ve been training you for ten years. I _know_ you. I know this is a crazy new situation, but you have to trust that I can help you. You need to embrace this new destiny, even if it’s not the one you had in mind for yourself. It’s not going away. Don’t be afraid of it. Charge it head on, like you did when we first began your metalbending lessons.

“Let me ask you something. Do you trust me?” Tony says.

“Of course,” Peter answers.

“Then trust me when I say that you can do this.”

Peter’s shoulders slump. “But _how_? The only times I’ve been able to conjure fire were when I was upset or angry. I don’t feel that way now.”

“There’s more to firebending than anger,” Tony says. “Fire symbolizes life and energy. Without fire, we as a civilization wouldn’t be where we are today.”

“How do you know so much about firebending?”

Tony chuckles. “Don’t forget I’ve traveled around the world. Spent time in other nations. Some firebenders do use anger to fuel their flame, but many have learned to embrace its true meaning, especially since the time of Fire Lord Zuko.” He pauses. “Do you remember Obadiah Stane?” 

Peter nods; he’d only met Tony’s former business partner a few times when he was much younger, but he always freaked Peter out. Something about him made Peter’s skin crawl.

“Obie was a firebender. One of the most powerful I’ve ever seen, in fact. He used his anger—mainly at me—as his source of fire, but he forgot that with anger comes lack of control. When he fought me on Stark Industries property eight years ago, truly, I shouldn’t have beaten him. I’d seen him duel in several Agni Kais before. He was powerful. But the more I got in his way, more and more fury built up inside of him until it exploded that night. The only reason I defeated him was because he couldn’t control his bending. He was blinded by hatred and anger. 

“You’re not an angry person, Peter. You have more control than many other older, experienced earthbenders I’ve seen. You can do this.” Tony offers him a reassuring smile.

While they’re seated, Tony has Peter practice his breathing exercises. _Control_ , Peter thinks. 

“Firebending is like earthbending,” Tony says as Peter continues to breathe. “Control over fire boils down to breathing itself, just like control over something as solid as earth relies on breathing. If you cannot control the air entering and exiting your lungs, you will not be able to control the fire as it leaves your hands.” 

Peter opens his eyes for a moment to see Tony absentmindedly raise a hand to his chest, where Peter knows a mass of burns and scar tissue remain from that night when Obadiah tried to kill him. 

_I will_ never _burn anyone like he burned Tony._

“Are you ready to give it a shot?” Tony says a few minutes later. 

Peter nods. Tony’s right, of course. This is his destiny; he has to embrace it.

He rises to his feet, straightening his posture and holding his cupped hands out in front of him.

“Firebending is the only element where the bender must fully embrace their chi to bend,” Tony explains. “Close your eyes.” Peter does. “Imagine all the energy in your body flowing to your palms. Picture it leaving your hands in the form of fire. That’s all you need to do, Peter. Conjure a small flame.”

Meditation and breathing exercises helped Peter master earthbending and metalbending; he knows he needs to focus. He feels the energy rushing through his lungs as he breathes, through his blood. Slowly, he tries to push that energy toward his palms. Then, he opens his eyes.

Hovering above his palms is a tiny orange flame, no bigger than the flame of a candle.

 _I’m firebending_!

Tony looks both shocked and impressed, as if he hadn’t believed Peter could bend more than one element until that moment. “I can’t believe it,” Tony mutters.

Peter laughs, overjoyed that he’s finally bent another element without any rage or aggression and completely voluntarily. He wills the energy to leave his palms, returning to the rest of his body. The fire extinguishes with a small puff of smoke.

“I did it,” Peter breathes.

Tony smiles, giving Peter a clap on the back. “Proud of you, kid.”

Later, after their usual earthbending sparring sessions and metalbending practice, Tony and Peter sit on the roof of Stark Industries’ main manufacturing facility, tea in hand, watching the sun set over the valley. Peter loves sitting up here, watching the sun’s rays reflect off the silver metal that comprises the city’s sectors. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

He wonders if the other nations have views like this.

“Have you come up with a plan yet?” Tony asks.

Peter shakes his head. “Still trying to wrap my head around it all. Even though I’ve known for years, it’s weird that other people know now.”

“Has May brought it up?”

“Only to say that she doesn’t know how it will work for us. She can’t exactly run Ben’s shop while she’s with me in the Fire Nation. And before you say anything, no, she won’t give up the shop. My uncle loved running that store.”

Tony hums, sipping his tea. “I have this crazy idea. We’d have to run it by your aunt, and you can totally shoot it down. What if… _I_ take you?”

Peter almost spits out his tea. “ _What_?”

“I could take you. Come on, kid, I’ve got a plane we can use to travel. I have friends all around the world, so you’ve got a lot of potential masters to choose from. Or, you can pick your own, I don’t know. I want to help you through this,” he finishes, smiling. “What do you think?”

Peter wants to say yes so badly. He already considers Tony to be a father figure to him, even more so after Ben died. To travel around the world with his earthbending master would be nothing short of spectacular. But…

“Mr. Stark, it sounds _wonderful_ ,” Peter starts, “but I can’t ask you to leave your company behind. Or Ms. Potts, for that matter. You’d be leaving everything behind, and we probably wouldn’t be back for a long time. On top of that, Mr. Fury says I should lay low. No offense, but you’re kind of one of most recognized inventors on the planet.”

“Already talked to Pepper, and she’s cool with it as long as I call every once in a while. She’s already CEO, so that won’t be an issue for her. And for the Fury problem, if it comes up on our travels, we’ll just say you’re my intern exploring the world with me.” Tony shrugs. “I’ve got it all figured out, kid. We just need to ask your aunt.”

A thought crosses Peter’s mind. “We’d also have to bring Sandwich.”

Tony looks confused. “Sandwich? What does— _oh_ , your deer dog?” Shaking his head, he says, “No animals allowed on my plane. _Especially_ deer dogs.”

“Come on, Mr. Stark, it’s non-negotiable!” Peter laughs. “May only lets me keep him because _I’m_ the one taking care of him.” 

Just a couple of years before, not long after Ben died, Peter had been walking to school when he heard some commotion in an alleyway. He’d found some kids taunting a poor deer dog puppy, chunking rocks and trash at him as he huddled in a corner. With some quick metalbending moves, Peter scared the kids off and slowly approached the fearful puppy, holding out his hand. The puppy sniffed his fingers before licking them, hopping into Peter’s arms. He was dirty, matted, and smelled like trash, but Peter fell in love instantly. He’d ended up sneaking the puppy upstairs to his room, giving him the sandwich from his lunch before heading to school. Peter returned after school to find a messy room and a furious aunt. Still, he begged May to let him keep the puppy. Eventually, she agreed, saying the puppy would be entirely his responsibility. Peter ended up giving the puppy another sandwich that night for dinner after a long bath, and he decided that was the perfect name. They’d been best buddies ever since (and he thinks his aunt might have warmed up to the dog, but she wouldn’t admit that out loud).

Tony groans, letting his head drop back. “Fine, you can bring the dog.”

* * *

“You _what_?”

Peter chuckles nervously, raising a hand to scratch the back of his head. It’s been three days since he walked home from school to find Nick Fury in his apartment. After his training session with Tony, he accompanied Peter home, and they discussed Tony’s idea with May. She was a bit reluctant at first, but she eventually agreed, saying she knows she can’t leave her husband’s shop. But, like Pepper, she made Peter promise that he would call every other day. Together, the three of them decided that Peter and Tony would be leaving within the next couple of weeks, under the guise that Peter is Tony’s intern travelling the world with him.

It’s crazy, Peter thinks, that his entire life has been uprooted in such a short amount of time.

“I want Tony Stark to take me around the world to master the elements,” Peter repeats. Though he’s just explained his plan to Fury, he tells him everything again, making sure not to leave any details out. When he’s finished, he shrugs. “I don’t know what you’re so worried about. Our plan is foolproof.”

Fury sighs, running a hand down his face. “Are you aware that you will be traveling with one of the most well-known metalbenders in the world? I told you that you needed to lay low, Peter.”

“But we have a plan,” Peter reiterates. “Plus, Mr. Stark has friends all around the world! He’ll be able to help me find good masters.” He sees the questioning look on Fury’s face and sighs. “Please, Mr. Fury. I know this will work. I’ll even start reading Korra’s journals, see if she has any advice for mastering the elements.”

There’s a few minutes of silence as Fury ponders Peter’s suggestion. Even if he says no, though, Peter knows Tony has a plan for sneaking him away without Fury knowing.

“I don’t like it,” Fury says. “I mean, I _really_ don’t like it. I think it’s stupid and foolish to travel with such a known face. But… you’re the Avatar. If you think this is right, then I guess I can’t stop you.”

Peter smiles. “Thank you, Mr. Fury! I won’t let you down.”

“It’s not just me you’d be letting down. It’s the entire world.” 

Fury rises to his feet, holding out a hand. Peter stands and grabs Fury’s hand, giving it a quick shake.

“Remember what I told you when we first met, Peter,” Fury says. “The majority of the world adores the Avatar. However, there are some out there who wish to destroy the Avatar, to end the cycle, to do terrible things. Remember, as far as the world knows, the cycle may have ended with Korra after the events of Harmonic Convergence. The members of my council are the only people in the world who know who you are. Keep this in mind during your travels. You never know who you can trust. Try to keep your identity hidden for as long as you can.” 

Finally, Fury clears his throat and heads for the door. "If you ever need help, use this to contact me.” He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a thin, white envelope, handing it to Peter.

"We'll be keeping an eye on you." And with that, he leaves.

* * *

The next few weeks pass in a blur. Peter tries to absorb as much information in school as he can while spending time with his friends. May officially told the school he would be homeschooled (kind of true; Tony said he could help Peter with his studies). Peter buys some textbooks and workbooks so he won’t fall behind in his education. He continues training with Tony, working on his breathing and increasing the size of his flames. And of course, he packs.

The first night he tried to pack, he ended up laying on his bed, silently crying. Everything was changing so quickly, and his life would never be as it was before. The next night, May came in to help. Tony had said he could bring as much as he wanted, since they’d likely be staying in his various apartments across the world. However, Peter didn’t want to pack too much. Other than his textbooks, he just packed the basics, like clothes and toiletries. 

Eventually, his stuff is packed. As he stares at his bare closet, he wants to cry again.

A couple of nights before Peter and Tony are set to leave, Peter invites MJ and Ned over for dinner. May had insisted on leaving the apartment, wanting to give Peter some privacy with his friends. Peter had tried to argue, saying that his friends _love_ her, but she wouldn’t hear it. “We’ll hang out tomorrow,” she said. “I’ve got all day with you tomorrow.”

So, that’s what they did. May went over to a friend’s house, while Peter, MJ, and Ned had the entire apartment to themselves. They tried to make some flatbreads… only to have Ned accidentally burn the chicken. The three then decided to run down to their favorite restaurant a few blocks away. 

It was such a fun night. One of the best of Peter’s life. They talked, and laughed, and joked, and just absorbed each others’ presence for as long as they could. After eating, they returned to the apartment. As the moon rose and the domes enclosed the city, Peter felt dread in his stomach knowing that the end of their time together drew near.

MJ, sensing Peter’s anxiety, grinned. “Hey, so Ned and I have a couple of going away presents for you.”

Peter’s brow furrows. “Oh, you guys didn’t have to do that!”

“Sure we did!” Ned says. 

MJ and Ned go to their discarded backpacks by the door (they came over right after school) and return, Ned with a rectangular wrapped gift, and MJ with a small box. Peter eagerly unwraps the gift from Ned first, feeling more like a kid than he has since that fateful afternoon a few weeks ago.

Underneath the wrapping, he finds a large book entitled _Balance: The History of the Avatar._

“Whoa, Ned, this is so cool!” Peter says, admiring the illustrated cover with Avatars Kyoshi, Roku, Aang, and Korra, their eyes glowing the blue color of the Avatar State.

“I thought so too,” Ned explains. “It goes into detail about the lives of most of the Avatars. Records of the earliest Avatars were a little harder to come by, but apparently the Air Nomads of the Western Air Temple started keeping records of the Avatars about 2,000 years ago. Pretty awesome, right?”

“Hell yeah,” Peter says. “Thank you, Ned.” For the first time since he found out he was the Avatar, all those years ago on the night Ben died, he feels pride swell inside him. One day, he’ll be among these great historical figures. Hopefully, the next Avatar will look back and be proud that he or she followed Peter Parker of the Earth Kingdom.

He sets the book down and reaches for MJ’s present, unwrapping it and sticking the silver bow on the top of his head. MJ rolls her eyes and Ned laughs. He lifts up the lid and gasps.

Inside is a silver necklace adorned with a glistening silver pendant. The pendant is octagon-shaped, delicately engraved with the symbol of the Metal Clan of Zaofu. 

“Figured you might want a piece of home with you while you’re traveling around the world,” MJ says with a shrug, but Peter can see a slight blush on her cheeks.

“MJ, it’s beautiful,” he says, smiling. He removes the necklace from the box, clasping it around his neck. It sits right over his heart. “I love it. Thank you. Thank you both.”

Eventually, May returns home, and Peter realizes it’s almost midnight. MJ and Ned have school the next day, so he knows they’ll be leaving soon. He walks them outside to the front of the shop, sorrow in the pit of his stomach.

He gives Ned the biggest hug, both of them with tears in their eyes. “Thanks for being my best friend,” Peter says.

“Don’t be a stranger, Peter,” Ned says, his voice shaking. “Call us every once in a while, okay?”

“I will,” Peter replies. He and Ned pull away, and then Peter faces MJ. He’s never seen her look so dejected; it breaks his heart. 

She throws her arms around him, pulling him close; he wraps his arms around her middle, cherishing this moment. Peter isn’t sure how long they stay like that, but eventually, MJ slowly pulls away. But, not before giving Peter a delicate, shy kiss on the cheek. Peter feels heat rise to his cheeks; he’s suddenly grateful for the dimly lit street.

With a half-hearted, sad smile, MJ says, “Don’t forget about us.”

“Hey, it’s not a goodbye, it’s a ‘see you later,’” Peter says, his voice shaking and his eyes full of tears.

“Well, then see you later, Peter,” MJ says.

“Yeah, see ya!” Ned exclaims. 

His two best friends step away, walking toward their homes, back to their normal lives. Just before she rounds the corner, MJ turns and looks at him one last time, waving goodbye. Then, she’s gone.

Peter slowly raises his hand to his cheek, gingerly brushing his fingers over the spot where MJ had kissed him, wondering when he will see his friends again.

* * *

Though the day before with his friends passed by slowly, Peter’s last day with May goes by in a blur.

He wakes up to find that she’s already cooked his favorite breakfast: blueberry pancakes and bacon. May tells him that she’s closed the shop for the day, so they’ll have the entire day together.

Peter cherishes every moment he has with his aunt before his journey. They take Sandwich to their favorite park and take a stroll; May buys them ice cream cones, and they laugh when Peter’s melts before he can finish it, leaving his hand and chin a sticky mess. After, they return to the Center Sector, passing by Peter’s school, and the shop where May bought Peter his first metalbending gloves, and the diner where Tony took Peter after his first earthbending lesson. So many places, so many memories.

Part of him is excited to make new memories around the world, but leaving home is so, so hard.

When they return home, May helps Peter make sure he’s got everything he needs. Extra clothes, toiletries, his books (both textbooks and a few of his favorite novels), Sandwich’s favorite blanket and toys and food. It’s all there, packed and ready to go. 

Clasping his suitcase closed, he and May take a step back, looking around his room. It looks basically the same, just with a few things here and there packed away for Peter’s trip.

“Um, if while I’m gone, you wanted to turn this into an extra bedroom, or an office, or something, uh—” Peter starts, but May immediately interrupts him by pulling him to her and embracing him.

“I would never,” she says, giving him a loving kiss on the cheek. “No matter how long you’re gone, your room will always be the same when you come home.”

Later, he helps her make his favorite dinner: spicy duck larb lettuce wraps. Do they make a complete mess in the kitchen? Absolutely. But, even after they eat and spend way too long cleaning up while May blasts her favorite records at full volume, Peter thinks that this is the perfect way to spend his last day with his aunt for who knows how long.

After the kitchen is clean, Peter and May find themselves in the living room, sitting on the couch, watching the nightly news on their small television.

“Peter,” May starts, “if you don’t mind… I know you’ve been practicing with Tony on your firebending. Can I… can I see it?”

Peter actually smiles. He doesn’t feel afraid of the fire anymore; he did when he was bending it unintentionally, but now that he has a little more practice under his belt, he feels much more comfortable with it. He holds up his index finger, focusing all his energy into it, and ignites the fire within. Hovering just above his fingertip is a small flame. May’s jaw drops. Peter had been working on increasing and decreasing the size of his flames through his practice with Tony, but he didn’t want to risk anything here. He leans forward and lights a candle sitting on the coffee table, willing the flame coming from his finger to extinguish.

“Wow, that’s… that’s….” And suddenly, May bursts into tears.

Peter’s breath catches, and he finds himself checking May’s arms, her legs. _I burned her but_ how _did I burn her oh shit I burned her_. “Oh no, did I—”

“No, honey, no,” she says, sniffling. She raises a hand, gently caressing Peter’s cheek; Peter leans into her touch. “I just… I can’t believe this is real. That this is happening. You’re my baby, and you’re leaving so suddenly. I know it’s selfish to think that way but…” She wipes at her eyes. “You shouldn’t have to grow up this quickly. You should be preparing your applications for Ba Sing Se University or even Republic City University like you always wanted, not preparing to hold the fate of the world in your hands.”

Peter doesn’t realize that he’s also crying until May’s thumb strokes his cheek, wiping away a tear.

“But, I know, with my whole heart, that you will be one of the best Avatars this world has ever seen,” she says. “You just have to slow down, think things through carefully, and don’t overthink like you sometimes do. I have complete confidence that you’ll master the elements and maintain the balance of the world.”

Peter lets out an involuntary, grateful sob, and then rushes forward into May’s arms, crying softly into her shoulder. He feels her own tears dripping onto the back of his neck. He has to remind himself that, yes, these are sad tears, but they’re also happy and grateful and proud and anxious tears. 

He’s been with his aunt for the last ten years. Every scraped knee from playing, every bruise from earthbending gone wrong, every bad grade, every nightmare—she’s always been right there. Now, he has to learn how to get by without her there every step of the way.

It’s going to be one of the most difficult things he has ever done.

* * *

The next morning, after a quick goodbye (fast enough that neither he nor May have enough time to start crying again), Peter leaves the apartment, suitcase in one hand, Korra’s trunk of journals in the other, backpack on, and Sandwich’s leash attached to his belt, and they make their way to the monorail station. He buys a ticket for the Northwest Sector, climbs in the monorail with Sandwich in tow, and then they’re off.

As the monorail surges forward, Peter can’t help but gaze out the window, taking in his city. He wonders when he’ll be back.

He meets Tony at Stark Industries, where they pile their bags into Tony’s car (he’s one of the only citizens in Zaofu who owns one). They hop in the back of the car, Happy in the driver’s seat and Sandwich in between him and Tony, and they make their way to Stark Airfield.

Peter turns to Tony just in time to see him grimacing at Sandwich. Sandwich, in return, licks Tony’s nose.

“Aww, he loves you, Mr. Stark!” Peter says, scratching the fur behind Sandwich’s antlers.

“I can’t believe I let you bring that thing,” Tony mutters.

“He’s not a _thing_ , he’s a deer dog! The best deer dog,” Peter says as Sandwich turns and licks his cheek. “He’s very well trained!”

Tony wipes at the spot where Sandwich licked him. “Doesn’t seem like it.”

Eventually, they make it to the airfield, which is on the outskirts of the city away from the mountains surrounding Zaofu. It’s the private airfield for Stark Industries, with a public one for the rest of Zaofu on the other side of the valley.

After Future Industries commercialized their biplane, air travel became a lot more popular. New planes were designed with the ability to transport dozens of passengers at one time. Of course, just as Future Industries and Cabbage Corp. were rival companies, the newer Stark Industries quickly rose in the ranks and is now a direct competitor with Future. Tony and his late father created all sorts of new technologies, including smaller, sleeker, faster passenger planes. They’d be using Tony’s own private plane to travel across the four nations.

It doesn’t take long for them to load up the plane. To Peter’s surprise, Happy will be joining them in their endeavour. “Other than Pepper and Rhodey, he’s one of the few people I trust. Your secret is safe with him. But he’s just dropping us off, and I’ll be driving us around. Only time we’ll really need him is for flying.”

Once everything is packed and Sandwich takes a quick potty break, they board the plane. Peter can’t help but feel slightly terrified; he’s never been on a plane before. Not to mention that, as an earthbender, he feels drawn to the ground, the dirt and earth around him. Being up in the air will probably make him uncomfortable. He relays this to Tony as he takes a seat, strapping Sandwich into the seat next to him before buckling his own seatbelt.

“I feel the same way, kid,” Tony says. “Sucks to be far from the earth, but we’ve got metal all around us.”

And that is a very comforting thought. Peter places his feet flat on the floor, allowing himself to feel the metal all around him. At least that’s familiar.

“Also, why is your dog in a seat? Shouldn’t he be on the floor?” Tony remarks.

Peter smiles and glances at Sandwich, who sits in the seat to Peter’s right. “Hey, Happy said we need to put our seatbelts on. Sandwich can’t do that on the floor.” Peter had to get a little creative when securing Sandwich; he’d ended up bringing a harness, strapping it around Sandwich’s chest, then using his leash and tying it to the seatbelt. His pup was perfectly safe.

“He’s right!” Happy pipes up from the cockpit. 

Peter turns back to Tony, flashing him an over-exaggerated grin. Tony rolls his eyes, mumbling something about reprimanding Happy later.

“So, where to first?” Peter asks, a little too eagerly.

“Ember Island,” Tony says. “Largely unchanged in the last hundred years, but it’s not the popular tourist spot it used to be. Lots of other, larger beach cities around the world, now. But I have a few friends there who might be able to help us out.”

“Friends? As in plural?” Peter questions.

Tony nods. “Yeah, they’re all pains in the ass, but I think you’ll like who I have in mind for your firebending teacher. The others can teach you some valuable hand-to-hand combat skills, God forbid you find yourself in a situation where you can’t bend. One knows chi blocking, which is very useful.”

Clearing his throat, Tony smiles. “So,” Tony says, “you ready?”

Peter looks at Sandwich, who licks his cheek, and nods. “I’m ready.”

As the plane shoots down the runway and soars into the sky, Peter gazes out the window, watching Zaofu shrink and shrink until it’s well out of view. He glances at Tony, who looks up from his book and gives Peter a wink.

 _Onward_ , Peter thinks. 

Onward to the Fire Nation. 

Onward to his destiny.


	2. secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mr. Stark, I thought we were here to find me a firebending teacher, not to take a vacation.”
> 
> “We’re not here on vacation. The people who might know where said firebending teacher is are likely on this beach,” Tony retorts. “Do _not_ question me, young Avatar.”
> 
> “So is that why we’re in our swimsuits?” Peter teases, crossing his arms.
> 
> Tony looks over his shoulder at Peter, and he can see annoyance in Tony’s eyes. “We’re blending in, okay? Keeping a low profile like that guy Fury said. Geez, go try sandbending or something.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your kind words and for all the hits/kudos on the first chapter! I am so excited to share this next one with you all.
> 
> Please remember: updates will be kind of slow, so please bear with me. I write as often as I can, but life (and writer's block) definitely get in the way.
> 
> Enjoy!

“Mr. Stark, I thought we were here to find me a firebending teacher, not to take a vacation.”

“We’re not here on vacation. The people who might know where said firebending teacher is are likely on this beach,” Tony retorts. “Do _not_ question me, young Avatar.”

“So is that why we’re in our swimsuits?” Peter teases, crossing his arms. They’re both in Fire Nation orange swimming trunks. Peter kept the necklace from MJ on; he’ll never take it off.

Tony looks over his shoulder at Peter, and he can see annoyance in Tony’s eyes. “We’re blending in, okay? Keeping a low profile like that guy Fury said. Geez, go try sandbending or something.”

At that, Peter laughs. But, at the same time, he realizes he’s definitely interested in sandbending. Tony had taught Peter the coveted earthbending ability of seismic sense; essentially, feeling the vibrations of the earth through your touch. It could be used for a variety of tasks, from combat to detecting if someone is lying. But, upon closing his eyes and stomping his foot into the soft sand, he only gets fuzz, almost like the static of an untuned radio. He absolutely wants to work on that.

He’s got plenty of time for that, though.

Peter glances around and finds a stick on the ground. He catches Sandwich’s attention and throws the stick toward the water; Sandwich bounds after the stick, grabbing it and bringing it back to Peter. He is _not_ looking forward to giving Sandwich a bath later, but he’s definitely enjoying playtime with his pup.

Today is their first full day on the island. They’d arrived on the coast of the mainland yesterday, and after securing a car, he and Tony drove the rest of the way to the island; Happy returned to Zaofu. Tony has a small cottage on the island, so they spent the rest of the day yesterday settling in, cleaning off the dusty counters and going to the local market for food and supplies. Peter is definitely not used to the heat and humidity on the island, so he ended up buying lighter, more breathable clothing. The clothes are Fire Nation colors, but that’s not the end of the world; not to mention he only sees himself wearing them on beach days like this. His already unruly wavy hair has become even more unmanageable with the salty air, and half of his belongings already have sand in them. 

All in all, he couldn’t have asked for a better start to his Avatar journey.

“Ah, there she is.” Peter turns to see Tony pointing toward a woman sunbathing on a towel in a black bikini, her fiery red hair splayed out in the sand. 

“That’s my firebending teacher?” Peter asks, calling Sandwich back to his side.

Tony rolls his eyes. “I swear, you have selective hearing. _No_ , she will probably know where your firebending teacher is. And hopefully she’ll talk to me after what happened last time I saw her.” He says the last sentence more quietly.

“What happened last time?” Peter questions.

“Trust me, it’s better if you don’t know.” With that, the conversation is over; Tony starts marching toward the woman.

“But I wanna know,” Peter mutters. He follows Tony, Sandwich close behind.

His earthbending mentor continues forward. Tony reaches her, and he stands by her feet with his hands on his hips; Peter notices he is angled so that he is casting a shadow over her.

“Hey, asshat,” the woman starts, sitting up and ripping off her sunglasses, “move your fu—Stark?”

“Hi, Natasha,” Tony greets.

The woman—Natasha—narrows her eyes. “I think the last time I saw you, I told you that if I ever saw your face again, I’d snap your neck.” She holds out her hands. “Come on, bend over.”

“Well, that would be really unfortunate, because I have a proposition for you.”

“Not interested.” She slips her sunglasses back on, leaning back on her elbows. “I swore an oath that I wouldn’t help you ever again.”

Tony raises an eyebrow. “What kind of oath?”

“Personal.” She huffs, taking a sip of what looks like lemonade from her water bottle. “How the hell did you find me anyway?”

“Nat, we’ve known each other for years. I know you spend spring and summer on Ember Island.” Tony takes a seat in the sand, beckoning Peter to do the same beside him.

“Ugh, stalker,” she says. FInally, she acknowledges Peter, tilting her head at him. “Who’s the kid? And the deer dog?”

Tony opens his mouth to speak, but Peter quickly interrupts, holding out his hand. “The kid is Peter Parker, nice to meet you, Ms. Natasha. The deer dog is Sandwich.” After a beat, she slowly takes his hand, giving it a single, quick shake. “The kid also wants to know what happened the last time you saw Tony.”

Natasha laughs. “You haven’t told him?”

“I told him it would be better if he didn’t know,” Tony says through gritted teeth, glaring at Peter, who smiles sheepishly. “Too many embarrassing stories I’d rather keep in the dark.”

“It was four years ago,” she says.

“Nat, don’t—”

“We were at the new Fire Lord’s coronation.”

Tony’s fist clenches, and Peter swears the sand around Tony’s legs moves. “Please—”

“We had a _lot_ to drink,” she says. “Coronation parties are full of dancing and celebration but, most importantly, _buffets._ Buffets with every kind of food you’ve ever imagined, but also, alcohols from all over the world. One type of alcohol with an awful reputation, an absinthe crafted in Gaoling, somehow made its way into the hands of Tony and me.”

Peter turns to Tony with wide eyes. “ _Absinthe_?”

Tony groans. “It was her idea. Please don’t continue, Nat.”

Natasha grins, clearly enjoying torturing him. “Fine. Just know this, kid. Bad things happened that night, but what made me want to murder this guy is, he caught my hair on fire.”

“ _What_?”

“In my defense, your hair looked really good short! You never would’ve cut it that short otherwise!” Tony says. Peter has to stifle a laugh; this is clearly still a very sore subject.

“ _You_ of all people didn’t have the right to like my haircut,” Natasha says, venom in her voice. She takes another sip. “Anyway, you wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of risking your life knowing my desire for revenge against you to find me. What do you want?”

Tony breathes a sigh of relief. “Finally,” he mutters. “I—”

“ _Natasha_!” Peter turns to see a man frantically running toward them; one of his sandals flies off as he attempts to sprint in the pillowy sand. “Natasha, Stark is—oh, hi Tony.”

Natasha rolls her eyes. “Thanks for the warning, Clint.”

“Barton!” Tony greets. “Good to see you. Anyway. I have something very important to—”

“Who’s the kid?” Clint asks. “And the deer dog?”

Peter is about to introduce himself again when Tony grabs his attention, putting a finger to his lips. Peter mimics closing a zipper over his mouth; he can see in Tony’s eyes that he’s about two seconds away from losing his mind.

“Come to my cottage for dinner tonight. Both of you. 7:30 sharp,” Tony says. “We need your help.”

“And if we don’t show?” Nat asks.

Tony sighs. “I’m really hoping you will. Trust me, this is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

“You also said that when you invited us to a winter solstice ball with the Northern Water Tribe, and that was one of the most boring parties I’ve ever been to.”

“Also the coldest,” Nat adds.

Peter stifles a laugh. So far on this journey, he’s learned that Tony _loves_ to party. Very different from the strong, stoic, sarcastic earthbending teacher he’s used to.

“Just, trust me, okay? This doesn’t have anything to do with me. Well, mostly,” Tony says. “My cottage. 7:30. Don’t be late.”

* * *

As Peter half-expected, Natasha and Clint knock on the door at 7:31.

Tony answers the door, huffing.

After they left the beach, Peter and Tony went to a local fish market, buying all sorts of goods. Spread on the small dining table near the kitchen is a smorgasbord of crab legs, shrimp, lobster, and oysters, with a variety of butters and sauces and sides. Peter had commented that maybe they had bought too much, to which Tony replied, “Kid, if I am hosting people, I am going to go completely over the top. Even if those people are assholes. My mom drilled that into me. I won’t have my reputation as the best host in all four nations be marred by something as menial as not having enough food.”

Peter didn’t say anything after that; he left the food to Tony and gave Sandwich a bath instead, finishing up right before their guests arrived.

Tony makes drinks for Clint and Natasha while Peter tries to break the ice.

“How long have you known Mr. Stark?” Peter asks.

“Almost ten years, I’d say,” Natasha says. “Met him back in another life.” Underneath the last statement, Peter detects a twinge of longing and sadness. Peter makes note of that but doesn’t press further.

“I met him through Nat,” Clint says, scratching Sandwich between his antlers. “Stark made me these fancy-ass hearing aids.” He gestures to the small, translucent wire in his ear; had Clint not just told him, Peter never would have noticed they were there.

Tony comes back to the dining room, handing Nat and Clint their drinks. “Speaking of, I’ve got a new prototype in the works. These are even more fancy-ass.”

“I’ll drink to that!” Clint says, raising his glass and then taking a huge gulp.

They make their way to the dining room, where Peter barely has time to fill his plate with food when the questions start.

“So what’s this about?” Natasha asks, peeling her shrimp.

“Yeah, Stark,” Clint says, cracking open a crab leg and pulling out the meat inside. “You wouldn’t put together a feast like this for nothing.

Tony pauses, fork halfway to his mouth. “You tell them, Peter.”

Peter glances up from his plate. “What?”

“Start at the beginning,” Tony directs.

Nat and Clint both turn to him, faces eager. Peter suddenly has stagefright.

“Um, well, I…”

“Yeah?” Clint says.

“It’s not that easy to say!” Peter says.

Nat raises an eyebrow. “Did you kill someone?”

" _What_? No!”

“Then just say it, kid!” 

“I’M THE AVATAR!” Peter shouts.

At that, both Natasha and Clint’s eyes widen.

“ _You’re_ the Avatar?” Natasha questions. Peter gives her a look that says, _That’s what I just said, isn’t it_?

“Prove it,” Clint says.

Tony gawks at Clint. “ _Why_ does he have to prove it? His word isn’t good enough for you?”

“I just want to see him bend!”

“Barton, that’s ridiculous—”

“Okay,” Peter interrupts, standing. “I’ll prove it.”

“Pete, you don’t—”

Peter stops Tony, saying, “No, let me do this. It’s good practice, anyway.”

Tony stares at him from across the table for a beat before nodding. Peter smiles.

Turning his attention to the window, Peter opens the panels. There’s solid earth directly beneath him, but he figures Tony doesn’t want him to ruin his nice wooden floors. He throws out his right arm and tightens his fist, summoning a few small pieces of earth from the ground on the outside of the cottage, before opening his hand and moving it in a swift motion; the rocks fly into the room, controlled and steady, and circle the air above Peter’s palm. With his left hand, Peter wills the fire inside him to release, just as Tony taught him, until a small flame hovers above his fingers. He looks up at Natasha and Clint, whose jaws have dropped; Tony just sits there with a smug grin on his face.

“Is this proof enough for you?” Peter asks, smirking. He drops his hands, returning to his plate of food as the flames disappear and the rocks clatter to the floor.

After a beat, Natasha is the first to speak. “I… think I know why you’re here now, Stark,” she says. She turns to Tony, a solemn look on her face. “But he won’t see you.”

Tony frowns. “How do you know?”

“He’s not seeing anyone,” Clint pipes up. “Not really. That Valkyrie chick is the only one who can get him to talk.”

“Who is _he_?” Peter asks.

Tony looks at him. “His name is Thor Odinson. He and Rhodey served together in the United Forces. Biggest guy you’ll ever meet. Broad, tall—”

“He basically looks like he was hand-chiseled by the spirits themselves,” Clint interrupts.

“Yes, very good looking. And also one of the best firebenders I’ve ever met,” Tony continues. “Though, his preferred firebending form is lightning. He’s perfected it. Since he’s so well-versed in all aspects of firebending, I figure he’d be the perfect teacher for you.”

Natasha hums. “I don’t know how you’ll get through to him. Even Val says she can’t get him to talk sometimes.”

“What happened?” Tony asks.

Clint and Nat meet eyes for a moment before Nat says, “In the last year, his parents died and his brother vanished.”

Tony sighs, running a hand down his face. “Shit.”

“Yeah, no one has seen or heard from Loki in about five months. Their parents died about a year ago within weeks of each other,” Clint says. “Losing that much in such a short amount of time has to take its toll.”

Peter feels a twinge of pain in his heart, his parents’ faces flashing in his mind. He knows exactly what this Thor guy is going through. He glances over at Tony, wondering if Tony is thinking about the loss of his own parents. The food spread out in front of them seems to be forgotten.

“Do you have an idea of where he is?” Tony asks.

“We know his location,” Natasha answers. “He’s in Jang Hui, that small fishing village on the outer islands of the Fire Nation.”

Tony groans. “If I had known that I wouldn’t have sent Happy away with the plane. I’ll give him a call and see if he can make transportation arrangements.”

“This is a waste of time,” Natasha mutters.

“I know. I know it might all be in vain, but I have to try, for Peter,” Tony says eventually. “I know I can find someone else, but Thor’s the ideal choice. There has to be a way to convince him. Maybe just seeing a familiar face will help.”

Nat cracks a small smile. “Yeah, maybe.”

Tony grins. “Great. Let’s come up with a plan, then.”

* * *

Peter… wasn’t sure how he felt about the plan.

He’d stepped away from the table for about ten minutes to take Sandwich outside, and by the time he came back, they’d already figured it out. Tony and Clint would be traveling to Jang Hui to find Thor within the next few days, while Nat stayed behind with Peter.

Peter waited until after Nat and Clint left to question Tony.

“So you’re really going to leave me with someone I just met a few hours ago?” he asks while washing the dishes.

“Kid, I would trust her with my life, even if she does want to kill me half the time,” Tony says.

Peter blinks. “That’s an oxymoron.”

Tony sighs. “Okay look, Natasha has a _very_ interesting history. She’s extremely gifted in hand-to-hand combat, including chi-blocking. I think it would be beneficial for you to train with her, just in case you find yourself unable to bend.”

At that moment, Peter nearly drops a plate in shock. “You think I might lose my bending?!”

“No!” Tony backtracks, quickly. “No, but you never know if you might find yourself in a situation where non-bending combat will help you win.”

The next day, Peter and Tony meet Nat for lunch in town so Peter can get to know her more. While they chatted over sushi, Peter noticed some things about her. She seems like a very passionate person, someone who knows her own morals and beliefs and sticks by them. She is kind, but she can turn vicious in an instant, as Peter learned when a stranger looked at him funny and she shot a snarky remark back.

Later, as they stroll through town, Peter spots an interesting poster hanging on a bulletin board in the square.

“Hey, this might be fun,” he says, gesturing to it.

Tony comes up behind him. “‘ _The Ember Island Players present: The Life and Times of Avatar Korra_ ,’” he reads. “We are _not_ going to that.”

“No, absolutely not,” Natasha says. 

“They butcher _Love Amongst the Dragons_ every year,” Tony adds.

As they walk away, Nat leans over to Peter and whispers, “I just said that to make Tony happy. We are _totally_ seeing it.”

Peter smiles.

A few days later, Peter walks Tony out of the house, carrying one of Tony’s bags. He passes it off to Clint, who tosses it in the vehicle. They’ll be driving back to the airfield, where Happy will pick them up in the plane and fly them to one of the islands closest to Jang Hui. “It’s a very small airfield,” Tony told him the day before. “Just one runway.” From there, they’ll be renting a boat to take to Jang Hui, since it primarily consists of houseboats connected by docks.

Once everything is packed, Tony turns to Peter, placing his hands on his shoulders. “All right, kid, we should be back in a few days, hopefully with your firebending teacher in tow. Don’t let Nat kick your ass too hard.”

Peter laughs. “I won’t. Be careful, Mr. Stark. And don’t forget to call Pepper.”

Tony sighs. “It’s gonna suck not having you there to remind me.” He turns. “Clint, remind me to call Pepper while we’re gone!”

“No promises!” Clint says.

Rolling his eyes, Tony mutters, “Jackass. Okay kid, we gotta go. I know you’re a master and all, but practice your earth and metalbending while I’m gone.”

“Will do, sir.”

Tony pulls Peter into a quick hug, and a few minutes later, he and Clint are driving off. Peter finds himself feeling kind of sad. It hasn’t even been a week, and their Team Avatar (a term he’s read in his Avatar book from Ned) is already splitting up.

Peter feels a nudge at his palm; he looks down and sees Sandwich at his side, rubbing his head into Peter’s hand. Chuckling, Peter kneels down and scratches behind Sandwich’s ears, laughing even harder when the deer dog licks his cheeks.

“Don’t worry, I won’t make you work today,” Natasha says, coming up behind him from the house where she was settling in.

They spend the rest of the day at the beach. Nat sunbathes, while Peter plays with Sandwich and works on his sandbending, which is improving more each time he tries it. Eventually, when they are both covered in sand and exhausted, they go home and scavenge what’s in the pantry for dinner.

After he calls May, Peter turns in early, laying on his small bed with his Avatar book in hand, Sandwich snoring away at his feet. He reads about a Fire Nation Avatar who lived during a time of peace, so after mastering the elements, she pursued a career in acting. She traveled the world, spreading her message of peace by day, and acting in pop-up shows at night. Peter can’t help but wonder about his future as he puts the book away and turns out the light. 

Will the time of peace that he was born into continue, like so many Avatars past? Or will there be a war that he has to stop, like Avatar Aang? These thoughts and more eventually lull him to sleep, where he dreams of home.

* * *

There’s a sharp knock at the door.

Peter shoots up out of bed, Sandwich doing the same and growling.

“It’s me,” Nat says. “Time to get up. We’re going running.” He hears her footsteps recede down the hall.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Peter realizes it’s basically still night outside, the sky just barely beginning to turn purple and lavender. _So the training begins_ , he thinks. He flops back down on the bed, taking a few deep breaths before throwing himself onto his feet. Quickly, he dresses in some workout gear, slipping his feet into his sneakers. After, he goes to the bathroom, splashing some cold water on his face to wake up, and then he heads into the kitchen.

Nat is already there with two bottles of ice water prepared, eating an apple. She turns and says, “Think fast!” Peter just barely throws his hands up in time to catch another apple. “Eat up.” Peter does so, biting into the sweet, crisp apple as he lets Sandwich out into the yard to do his business. 

“Is there a reason we’re up before the rest of civilization?” Peter asks.

“I’m training you in hand-to-hand combat and chi-blocking, but I’m going to start preparing you for your firebending training,” she says. “Have you ever been up before the sun, watched it rise? Firebenders rise with the sun. They can bend just fine at night, but when the sun is up, they feel a slight rush of power that they didn’t feel before. I want you to feel that.”

Peter considers this, then shrugs. Sure, he’ll accept this as a good reason to be up this early.

Once they finish their light breakfast, Peter brings Sandwich back in, and after he gives him some water and food, they’re off. 

Peter genuinely hates running, but he’ll do it if he needs to. They jog toward the beach, where they run along the water. He has to admit that all things considered (watching the sky change color, with the salty sea air on his face and the sound of the waves crashing to shore), this run isn’t _that_ bad. 

(He hopes this isn’t a regular thing when it comes to training with her.)

They pass a few other joggers as they run through the empty market, back into the woods. And eventually, after what feels like _hours_ , Nat leads him up a steep hill that dead ends into a cliffside overlooking the ocean. The sky is stunning, lavender melting into orange near the horizon, but the sun hasn’t quite peaked yet. Peter glances over the edge and watches the sea crash into the rocky cliffside, mist gently hitting his cheeks.

He pops open his water bottle, squirting cold water into his mouth and feeling refreshed as it rushes down his throat. Once he catches his breath, he turns and sees Natasha sitting on the ground, completely still, eyes closed and hands in fists in front of her chest.

Assuming it’s meditation time, Peter takes one more drink and sits beside her, assuming his position and closing his eyes, clearing his mind. Natasha had mentioned wanting him to firebend. He recalls his session with Tony just a few weeks before, when he had asked Peter to firebend for him. _“Firebending is the only element where the bender must fully embrace their chi to bend.”_ Peter calls forth that energy.

“Are you breathing properly?” Natasha says, breaking the silence.

Keeping his eyes closed, Peter says, “Well, air is entering and exiting my lungs, so I think I am.”

Natasha snorts. “Thanks, asshole.” Peter grins. “I meant are you _breathing_ properly? What gives firebending its power is breath. Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. Focus on the air entering and leaving your body. Feel the energy of the sun as it rises. Embrace your inner fire.”

Peter almost retorts that he knows how to breathe properly, that he’s been practicing this since he was six years old, but he keeps his mouth shut. Instead, he takes her advice, changing his breathing method, feeling the humid air begin to grow warmer.

He doesn’t have to open his eyes to know the sun is peeking over the horizon now. The firebender within him can _feel_ it.

“It’s time,” Natasha says. Peter hears movement and opens his eyes to find her on her feet, gesturing for him to rise as well. “Take your stance,” she says as he stands. She assumes a squatting position, her toes pointed outward, hands pressed together in front of her chest. Peter quickly scans her stance and copies it. She comes over and straightens him out, pressing a hand to his stomach to correct his posture, nudging his feet with her own so he has a wider stance.

“Focus on your breathing, feel the fire within you rising, and when you’re ready, do this movement and bend.” She gets into position again, this time throwing her right fist out as her left contracts inward, her left fist aligned with her right elbow.

Peter practices the move a couple of times without fire, and once he has it down, he stops. He takes another look at the sunrise; now, the sun has completely risen, just barely hovering above the horizon. She’s right, he realizes. He _does_ feel stronger at this moment. He closes his eyes, takes a few deep breaths, and throws his fist out. Immediately, a large wave of orange flame shoots from his knuckles out toward the ocean.

And Peter, watching the flame burst and fizzle out, feels _happy._ He smiles.

“Now _that_ was some firebending,” Natasha says. “We’ll do a few more firebending exercises over the next few days, but I’ll let Thor teach you the majority. Anyway, forget that. Let’s do some chi-blocking.”

* * *

“You are a quick learner, you know that?”

Peter laughs, taking a sip of his watermelon juice. “Well, I’ve got a great teacher. That helps.”

Natasha smiles, picking the mango slice from the edge of her smoothie glass and popping it into her mouth.

It had been a few days since Tony and Clint left. Nat had gotten Peter into a training routine very quickly. Morning runs, working on the same firebending move (“To build power,” Natasha had said on their second day), and chi-blocking. Peter had expressed his desire to her to build some time in the day for his schoolwork, so he has a couple of hours blocked after lunch to study. After that, it’s back to chi-blocking along with hand-to-hand combat. They both tend to turn in pretty early after dinner; Peter tries to read a couple of Korra’s journal entries before going to sleep, but today, he woke up with a journal laying open on his chest, the open pages slightly crinkled.

He made note that if he successfully manages to connect with Korra in the future, he’ll have to apologize for that.

“Can I ask you a question?” Peter _prays_ that she will say yes. She seems very reserved about her personal life, he’d noticed. Plus, she’d kept him so busy and he’d been so exhausted that he hasn’t had a chance to ask her the one thing that has been itching at the back of his mind. A break from training at a nice juice and smoothie bar is the perfect opportunity.

Natasha nods, eyes curious.

“How do you know so much about firebending?”

As soon as the question leaves his mouth, she leans back in her chair with an almost mischievous look in her eyes, as though she knew this question was coming.

“Well for one, I’m from the Fire Nation, so it’s kind of in my blood. And two… I’m a firebender.”

Peter’s jaw drops; if he’d been holding his glass, it would’ve fallen and shattered. “You’re _what_?”

Nat holds her hands up, feigning shock. “I know, I know. Let it sink in.”

His mind stops working for a few moments. A thousand questions enter his mind, and he tries to voice them all at once which only results in weird stutters and grunts and _oh my goodness Peter stop talking stop thinking just STOP_ —

“I can tell you’re in a state of shock,” she chuckles. “You’re probably wondering why Tony and Clint left to find a _different_ firebending teacher when _I_ am right here.”

Peter can only nod. 

“When you think of benders, you think of some of the greatest in history. Avatars, of course, but others too. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. Toph Beifong, the inventor of metalbending. Bolin the lavabender. Jinora, the airbending granddaughter of Avatar Aang. Even your annoying ass mentor Tony. There are so many benders out there, but not everyone can reach legend status. Most benders are just average, while others, like me, are just, _bad._ ”

Another thousand questions pop into Peter’s mind, but he settles on one. “Did you not have a teacher?”

Natasha laughs. “My mother was a firebending prodigy. Had blue fire, just like Princess Azula did many years ago. She tried to teach me her ways, but I just… couldn’t do it. I _wanted_ to so badly, but it was like the fire that should’ve been there… wasn’t there. She sent me to the best firebending teachers in the Fire Nation, even going so far as to hire the Fire Lord’s personal tutor. Nothing.”

“So… how do you know you’re even a bender?” Peter asks.

She hesitates for a moment, but then she holds out her hand, palm toward the ceiling. Almost instantly, a small flame, no bigger than the flame of a candle, hovers above her skin. But, within a few seconds, the fire fizzles out, leaving a weak puff of smoke in its wake.

“That’s as much as I can do. No more, definitely less most of the time. I’m surprised I even managed to make a flame. Usually it’s just a puff of smoke,” she says. “I was a disappointment to my mother. My little sister, on the other hand, she inherited my mother’s gift. Yelena’s an eight-time pro-bending champion and plans to open her own firebending school to continue our mother’s teachings. So while my mother spent her days training my sister and pretending like I didn’t exist, I spent my time learning other ways to fight. My sister bends fire. I punch. My abilities allowed me to go further than she ever will, and she doesn’t even know it.”

Peter’s stomach does a little flip. The tone in Nat’s voice had changed so unexpectedly with that last statement. He hasn’t known Nat for very long, but hearing her say that sends a chill down Peter’s spine.

He recalls something from one of his earliest conversations with her, when he asked how long she’d known Tony, and she said, “‘ _Back in a different life_.’” Is that what she’s referring to?

“What do you mean?” he asks, a little uneasily.

Nat glances over at him, fire in her eyes, then smirks; the fire vanishes. “I’ll tell you what, the day you knock me on my ass when we spar, I’ll tell you my _full_ story. Where I come from, what I’ve done, _all_ of it.” She leans back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. “But like I said, you’ve gotta knock me down. And without using your earthbending— _yes_ , I know you’ve been doing that.”

Peter frowns. “Sorry, earthbending is just my natural defense.” It was second nature to him. Nat starts to gain the advantage, throwing punch after punch (which he is definitely getting better at blocking), and suddenly he shifts the earth under her, causing her to lose her balance. She scolded him during one of their first sessions when he bent a rock at her, saying that it was her job to teach him non-bending combat.

She’s a tough teacher. She’d chi-blocked him a couple of times already. Losing his bending for just a few minutes before she realigns everything… it’s like he lost a limb. Part of himself.

He hadn’t successfully chi-blocked her yet at all.

“And that’s great that you’re so comfortable with your bending abilities to use them, even in a practice fight,” she says. “But you have to remember, _my_ job is to teach you how to fight if you lose your bending, or if you’re in a place where bending will _not_ give you the advantage.”

“I know,” Peter says, taking another drink of his juice.

“You’re the Avatar, but you’re a natural earthbender first and foremost,” she says, quietly. “Earthbenders are strong and unyielding, but also deeply rooted in their ways. You need to be able to clear your mind, to accept that there are more ways to win in a battle besides what you know and are familiar with. You’ll need to get that through your head before Thor arrives.” She says the last part very matter-of-factly, but there’s no acid in her tone. 

“Fire will probably be the easiest element for you to learn,” she continues. “But air… air is the literal opposite of earth. You’ll need to be very focused, but willing to learn how to adapt to new changes, to the new environment. Earth is the element of substance, of being rooted to the ground in more ways than one, but air is the element of freedom and flexibility. Work on allowing yourself to be more flexible as you learn firebending and train with me, and air will come much easier when you get there.”

Peter, the self-proclaimed king of stress, can only nod.

Nat smiles. “Anyway, I picked these up earlier this week.” She holds up two small, rectangular pieces of paper; looking closer, Peter sees they say _The Ember Island Players._

“We’re seeing the play tonight?!” he asks, his heart pounding with excitement.

“Hell yeah we’re seeing the play tonight,” she says. “So let’s get back to the house. We’ll finish up our training for today, find something for dinner, and come back to town to watch this kick-ass play.”

And as Peter finishes his juice and they make their way back to the cottage, Peter finds himself feeling truly _happy._ He has a great teacher (two, including Tony, even if he isn't here), he's training on a beautiful island, and he's learning so much. He couldn't ask for much more.

Peter finds himself wondering if Tony and Clint are having as much luck as he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> What do you think will happen in the next chapter? What are your thoughts on Natasha's backstory, and what else is she hiding? Will firebending be as easy as Peter thinks it will be? Comment down below, and subscribe to know when I update!
> 
> Feel free to come discuss with me on Tumblr [here](https://slytherinironstrange.tumblr.com).

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think will happen next?
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated! Subscribe to know when I update!
> 
> Thank you for reading! Feel free to come discuss with me on Tumblr [here](https://slytherinironstrange.tumblr.com).


End file.
